Mine machine



Oct. 19; 1943. P. s 2,332,408

MINE MACHINE Filed y 28. 1942 *1 INVENTOR, bowl/v Pans/v ATTO R N. EYS,

1 out.

Patented Oct. 19, 1943 p MINE MACHINE Edwin P. Stenger, OincinnatiQDhio,assignor to. The CincinnatiMine Machinery Company, Gin cinnati, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio! Application May'ZS, 1942, Serial No. 444,849-L 11claims. (01. 74-454) My invention relates to cutter chains for miningmachines and particularly to thepintle which joins the bitcarryinglinkto the connecting'li'nks and means for fastening the same.

Inasmuch as cutter chains of the above type are subject to very heavyand rough wear, it has been found advisable to position the pintles inthe side bars of the bit carrying link so that they will not revolve. Itis also desirable to have these pintles so arranged as to be easilyremovable and insertable for repairs while job in a mine. 7

It is an object of my invention to provide'a pintle positioned in theside bars of the bit carrying link which is' not rotatable even underthe heaviest kind of wear, and wherein the rotation of the pintle isprevented by shoulders similar to that shown in my Patent No. 2,280,502;issued April 21, 1942, and wherein I provide means which hold the pintlein place against longitudinal movement and which means permit the easyremoval and insertion of the pintle under the most unfavorableconditions normally met in a coal mine.

'These other'ohjects of my invention which will be set forthhereinafter. or will be apparent to one skilled in the art after readingthe specifications, I accomplish by that certain construction andarrangement of parts of which Iv shall now describe an exemplaryembodiment, Reference is now made to. the drawing which forms a 1 partthereof and in which:

Figure l isa side elevation of a cutter chain including a bit carryinglink and connecting links.

Figure 2 is a section on the section line 22 of Figure 1. v

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the pintle shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one 'of the plugsused in connectionwith the pintle shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modifying pintle.

Figure 6 is a cross-section similar to that shown in Figure 2, but withone of the plugs knocked Briefly, in the practice of my invention; Ipro- .vide a pintle having a cross-section defined by a portion of acircle and joined by a cord and similar to that shown in my Patent No.2,280,502, issued April 21, 1942. Y The aligned apertures in the sidebars for receiving the pintle'are similarly configured so that thepintle may not revolve. The pintle is so positioned that the circularportion of the surface is positioned against the the chain is on the vcircularapertureor journal in the connecting link; so that all of thefriction between the pintle surface and the bearing of theconnectorlink'is carried bythe circular portion of the pintle.

In order to prevent my pintle from sliding longitudinally out of theaperturesof the side bars, I provide tapered hollow channels runninglongitudinally through the pintle and tapered plugs which are insertablein the channelends. The pintle is slit at both of its ends and when thepintle is in position, tapered plugs driven into the taperedchannelexpand the ends of the pintle and thus frictionally lock'the endsin the side bars. One of the plugs has a longitudinal hole therein whichpermits the insertion of a rod for driving out the other plug when it isnecessary to remove the pintle. After one of the plugs has been drivenout, the rod is inserted in the space previously occupied by that-plug,and the first plug-may be driven out.

Referring to the drawing, I provide the usual bit-carrying link I havingthe side bars 2. Connecting the bit carrying links of the cutter chainis the usual connecting link 3, which has a circular hearing as is wellknown in the art. My -pintle 4 consists ofa circular rod with aflattened portion or chord 5. Tapered hollow channels itrunlongitudinally through the pintle'withthe aligning.- When the pintleis in position, the. plugs l4 and Ma are driven into the channels l3 inthe ends of the pintle which expand the ends due to the tapering of thechannels I3 and the slits i5, and spread apart the ends and wedge themagainst the aperture in the sidebars 2. To remove the pintle from theside bar, a rod 29,

- of. lessdiameter than the aperture in the plug 14, is inserted throughthe aperturein the plug so as to contact the inner face of the secondplug Ida and by driving the'rod; the plug 14a is driven out of thepintle, as is apparent in Figure 6. After the plug [4a is removed, therod is then inserted in the aperture from which plug M was driven, I andthe other plug 14 may be 'drivenirom the pintle. This permits thecontracting ofthe ends of the pintle 4 and permits the easy longitudinalmovement of the pintle for removing the same from the chain in eitherdirection.

In the modification shown in Figure 5, the

pintle has a single longitudinal slot 2|. The slot H is cut through fromthe face 22 of the pintle its whole length and down to the taperedchannels l3. This pintle is inserted in the same manner as heretoforedescribed and the same plugs l4 and Ma are used to expand the pintle. Inthis case, it will be noted thatthe slot 2| is so positioned inreference to the position of the pintle in the cutter chain that nofriction or wear is presented to the surface of the pintle whichcontains the slot.

From the above it is apparent that I have provided a pintle which may bereadily removed and inserted in a cutter chain from either side of thechain and which is so configured as to parts, etc. that the positioning,insertion and removal of the same may be easily carried on in the darkand under the most unfavorable conditions existent in a coal mine, butwhich when once inserted and expanded will not slide nor revolve, andwhich will consequently promote long chain life and efllcientperformance.

It is to be understood that modification may be made in my inventionwithout departing from the spirit thereof and I do not intend to limitmyself otherwise than as pointed out in the claims which follow:

Havingthus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination with a bit carrying link of a mining machine cutterchain, and a connecting link, one of said links having spaced side barsbetween which the connecting link is introduced,

said connecting link having a circular aperture,

and a pintle mounted in the side barsand passing through said circularaperture, said pintle having a flattened portion, and at least one ofthe side bars having an aperture for the pintle and which includes ashoulder to engage the flattened portion, thereby preventing the pintlefrom rotation, said pintle being longitudinally slidable through atleast two of said apertures and means for ecuring the pintle againstendwise movement comprising slits in the ends of the pintle, a holethrough the pintle from end to end, and tapered plugs to enter the endsof the pintle to expand same, one of said plugs having a hole thereinsufficient to receive a tool for driving out the other plug.

2. For use in combination with a mining machine cutter chain havinglinks including, side bars and connecting links positioned within theside bars, a pintle having a constant. outside cross-section the outlineof which is the same as the aligned apertures 01 the side bars, saidpintle having a longitudinal hole therein from end to end, tapered plugsto enter the ends of said hole to expand the ends of the pintle and saidpintle having at least one slot to permit the expansion of the same. I 1H 3. For use in a mining machine chain, a pintle having a longitudinal;passage therein, said passage commencing at one end of said pintle andtapering inwardly, at least one slot in the end of said pintle andcommunicating with said passage, and-a tapered plug for insertion insaid passage for expanding said pintle and to prevent longituchnalmovement of the pintle.

4. For use in a mining machine chain, a pintle having a longitudinalcircular passage therethrough from end to end, the ends of said passagebeing of a given cross-sectional area and tapering to a smallercross-sectional area at the center, tapered plugs for insertion in theends of said passage, said pintle having slit ends so as to permitexpansion of the same upon insertion of said plugs.

5. For use in a mining machine chain, a pintle having a longitudinalcircular passage therethrough from end to end, the ends of said passagebeing of a given cross-sectional area and tapering to a smallercross-sectional area at the center, tapered plugs for insertion in theends of said passage, said pintle having slit ends so as to permitexpansion of the same upon insertion of said plugs, one of said plugshaving a hole therein sufficient to receive a tool for driving out theother plug.

6. For use in a mining machine chain, a pintle having a longitudinalcircular passage therethrough from end to end, the ends of said passagebeing of a given cross-sectional area and tapering to a smallercross-sectional area at the center, tapered plugs for insertion in theends of said passage, means in said pintle for permitting expansion ofat least the ends thereof upon insertion of said plugs.

7. For use in a mining machine chain, a pintle having a longitudinalcircular passage therethrough fromend to end, the ends of said passagebeing of a given cross-sectional area and tapering to a smallercross-sectional area at the center, tapered plugs for insertion in theends of said passage, said pintle having a longitudinal slot in the sidethereof communicating with the passage to permit expansion of the pintleupon insertion of said plugs.

8. For use in a mining machine chain, a pintle having a longitudinalpassage therein, said passage tapering from each end toward the center,a flattened portion on the side of said pintle and running substantiallyits full length, a slot in said flattened portion communicating withsaid passage and tapered plugs for insertion in said passage ends forexpanding said pintle to prevent longitudinal movement thereof.

9. For use in a mining machine, a pintle in the form of a cylinderhaving a longitudinal flattened portion and an internal channelthroughout its length, a longitudinal groove in the flattened portionand communicating with said channel, and means for expanding saidpintle.

10. A pintle comprising a circular bar having a longitudinal flat faceand a channel running therethrough, a slot connecting said face withsaid channel and wedging means for expanding said pintle.

11. For use in a mining machine, a pintle in the form of a cylinderhaving a longitudinal flattened portion and an internal channelthroughout its length, a longitudinal groove in the fiattened portionand communicating with said channel, and means comprising a wedge forexpanding said pintle.

EDWIN P. STENGER.

